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Seventh victim of New Orleans car-ramming attack identified as 18-year-old Kareem Badawi

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The seventh victim is 18-year-old Kareem Badawi, a freshman at the University of Alabama. Kareem had recently graduated from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, where he was described as a bright and promising young man with a future full of potential.
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The seventh victim is 18-year-old Kareem Badawi, a freshman at the University of Alabama.

Kareem had recently graduated from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, where he was described as a bright and promising young man with a future full of potential.

Officials from the Episcopal School expressed their condolences, calling Kareemโ€™s death a tragic loss for their school community and the world at large.

The University of Alabama confirmed that one of its students, Kareem Badawi, was among the victims of the tragic terrorist attack that unfolded in New Orleans on New Yearโ€™s Day.

In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, University President Stuart R. Bell expressed his condolences:

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โ€œI learned today that Kareem Badawi, one of our students at The University of Alabama, was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans. I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss.โ€

Badawi, a freshman at the university, was a promising young man with a bright future ahead of him. He graduated in 2024 from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, where he had been a valued member of the school community.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge also issued a statement, announcing plans to honor both Badawi and another graduate, Parker Vidrine, who was injured in the attack. The school will hold an evening prayer session on Thursday to remember Badawi and to support Vidrineโ€™s recovery.

โ€œThis is a time for our community to come together to mourn the loss of Kareem and to pray for Parkerโ€™s healing,โ€ said a school spokesperson.

Both Badawi and Vidrine were members of the schoolโ€™s Class of 2024, and their teachers and classmates recall them as exceptional individuals who left a lasting impact on their community.

As more victims are identified, the New Orleans community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the devastating attack, which claimed the lives of 15 people and injured dozens more. Families, friends, and communities are mourning the loss of these individuals whose lives were cut short.

Authorities continue their investigation, working to piece together the events of the attack and to support the grieving families. Further details on the victims and their stories are expected to emerge in the coming days.

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A University of Georgia student remains in critical condition, and two Israeli citizens were among the injured, according to statements from their respective institutions and governments.

Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the attack and the suspectโ€™s potential affiliations with terrorist organizations. This tragedy has cast a somber shadow over what should have been a joyous celebration, as families and communities come to terms with their loss.


Crime

Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis

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Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
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On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.

The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.

At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.

The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.

During the pursuit, the subjectโ€™s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.

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Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.

A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.

During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.

These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.

The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.

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Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).

Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.

The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.

Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.

Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.

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Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.

All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.

Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorneyโ€™s Office.


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